Pimples - 8 Ways to Eliminate Those Rascals!

You have a social engagement that you've been looking forward to for weeks. You bought some new clothes and you'll all set. You wake up in the morning and see a pimple. It's not big, but it's very easy to see, right on the cheek. What can you do? There are only a few days until your big event. Here are eight tips to get rid of it quickly and safely.

1)
It's very tempting but don't pinch, squeeze or pick at a pimple. This will spread the bacteria and oils that caused it in the first place. Here's the worst case scenario if you pick the pimple. It could lead to scars. We don't want that.

2)
Apply an ice pack to the pimple area every 30 minutes. You only need a small pack and only hold it there for about two minutes. The cold will decrease the redness and swelling. It will also help ease the pain that sometimes accompanies a pimple.

3)
Look for a cream that contains benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid in you medicine closet. If you don't have any, the drug store has lots of creams that contain these medicines. Put a dab of the cream on the infected area. Be aware that these creams are very drying and may dry out the skin too much if yours is sensitive.

4)
If you are in a hurry and need to hide the pimple, go for a cover up of some kind. There are plenty of them available at the drug store. You probably have one at home so check.

5)
Look for a special soap or cleaner made for acne. It is usually unscented and has no harsh chemicals like lye. Wash your skin 2 or 3 times a day. Gently rub the skin and infected area with a washcloth or exfoliating pad. Don't be too harsh here.

6)
Makeup can be a problem. Many of them have a tendency to cause pores to build up with the oil in the makeup. Examine your makeup's ingredients. Look for the kind that is oil-free. Always remove your makeup every night and cleanse the pimple area with the soap you're using in tip five.

7)
If you haven't heard of this one, you'll be surprised. Put a dab of toothpaste on the affected pimple. The whiteness of the toothpaste tends to hide the redness of the pimple and the ingredients in the toothpaste help soothe the irritation and reduce redness.

8)
Two common household items may also help; a tea bag and lemon juice. After a tea bag cools, press and hold it on the pimple area. You could also squeeze the tea bag onto a cotton ball and hold the cotton ball to the area. Lemon juice applied to the area can also reduce the swelling and redness. Again, go with the cotton ball idea and use real lemons not the lemon juice in a bottle.

If you follow these suggestions, you'll notice improvement quickly. A dermatologist can suggest a skin cleaning routine if you find that pimples are a recurring problem. There are other long term strategies your doctor can recommend for those times in life when pimples seem to occur frequently.